Report on : FOSS – Free and Open Source Software Workshop Conducted By: Prof. NagarjunDate : 29-30th March 2010

THE VISION:

To create a studio model of the classroom, encouraging children to explore on their own, learn from their peers, share their findings/learning, communicate more freely with their peers and teachers and finally rediscover. This breaks the normal learning which is uni-directional ( teacher to the child- through books).

The above is encourage and practiced through the introduction of technology (IT for Change) through FOSS. These software's are free and can be installed in most of the computers, for free usage by teachers and children.

BASIC CHARACTERISTICS of FOSS

The FREE software’s are specifically designed to :• To create teaching/learning aids &• For children to explore, invent and learn through the process.

General Featureso They have applications to support most fields of learning in the school – language,

maths, science (physics, biology etc) and arts & crafts o The software’s help in developing the inquisitive and creative minds of both

children and the teachers.o They can be installed without disrupting the speed or performance of the already

existing OS.o The file’s saved using these software’s are generally very light and still have high

resolution.

Flowchart on the next page gives a fair idea about the vision of how FOSS can be materialized and made useful.

STUIO MODEL OFA CLASSROOM

OB

JEC

TIV

E

PEER GROUP INTERACTION

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

SHARED LEARNING

PRODUCTION

RESPECT FOR VARIEDINTERESTS

DEMANDS ON

A TEACHER &CHILD (at different levels)

TALK

SHARE

CREATE

INTERACT

LEARN/ UNLEARN

DISTRIBUTE

USE OF FOSS

BECOMES THE COMPUTING MEDIUM

HELPS IN:CREATINGSHARING/DISCUSSINGLEARNING&DISTRIBUTING

IN FOSS we touched upon the following during the workshop :

SUGARGNOME

SUGAR

PERSONALIZATIONGROUP FORMATIONCHAT/ TALK/ EXPRESS/ DISCUSSPAINT/ CREATETURTLE GRAPHICSSPEAK OUT LOUDE-TOYS ( CAN BE USED LIKE FLASH)PHYSICSMUSICSTORY BUILDER

GNOME

INSKAPEGEOGEBRASTARALLIUM (LIKE GOOGLE EARTH!)

The above mentioned applications are just a part of A , say in a list from A-Z! It’s a long way to go, and a lot more to learn…

Details can be availed /read at www.gnowledge.orgwww.sugarlabs.orgwww.laptop.org

AP

PLI

CA

TIO

NS

AP

PLI

CA

TIO

NS

CHALLENGES:

1. Need to ensure that we know enough before we disseminate it to others (teachers, children)

2. following that we should initiate proper training of teachers/teacher educators3. Follow-up of the trainees, to see that the tool is being used an practiced! 4. To ensure that whenever it is introduced to a child, they have equal access to

computers.

POSSIBILITIES:

1. Should arrange /facilitate a similar workshop in the foundation.2. As a team, we could then initiate to explore, understand and exploit at least one

application per person, of our interest. 3. Try its adaptability to curriculum content and overall development.4. Everyone in the team shares each application and its understanding.5. As a team publish / spread the knowledge to teacher’s / teacher educator’s/

children as would be the plan.

Compiled by: Bindhu MadhuAttended By: Bindhu , Dheera, Maria, Nirag, Santhosh, Sriparna & Uma